Valve for compound engines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. M. VAUCLAIN.

VALVE FOR COMPOUND ENGINES.

No. 406,012. Patented June 25, 1889.

/ ii I W 2 I l I UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. VAUCLAIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE FOR COMPOUND ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,012, dated June 25,1889.

Application filed March 22, 1889. Serial No. 304,322. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. VAUCLAIN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Valves for Cour pound Engines, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a compound engine with a singlevalve common to both the high and low pressure cylinders, the valvehaving been especially design ed for use in connection with compoundlocomotiveengines, but being applicable to stationary or marine enginesas well.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal. sectionalviewof the valve and "alve-chest. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on theline 1 2, Fig. 1, showing not only the valve, but also the high and lowpressure cylinders in section. Fig. 3 is a similar section 011 the line3 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a similar section on the line 5 (5, Fig. 1; andFig. 5 is a similar section on the line 7 S, Fig. 1.

A is a casting containing the high and low pressure cylinders B and Dand the valve chest E. The casting, as shown, forms part of alocomotive-engine, :0 being the steam-inlet passage, and 1/ theexhaust-passage; but it will be understood that other forms of castingsmay be used, as the different character of the engine or othercircumstances maysuggest.

In the valve-chest E is a bushing e, slotted or perforated at the inletand outlet ports, as shown, to permit the steam to enter and haust fromthe valve-chest.

F is a hollow piston-valve having a highpressureexhaust-passagefextendingbetween openings u a in said valve, saidopenings communicating with external grooves l) b in the periphery ofthe valve. The valve is also grooved externally at the center 0, thegroox es forming passages for the steam, as described hereinafter. Thesteamsupply ports (Z d communicate with the steam-passage .1, Fig. 2,these ports being situated at the extremes of the valve-chest, as shownin Fig. 1.

Ports h h communicate with the opposite ends of the high-pressurecylinder, as shown in Fig. 3; and serve alternately as induction andeduction ports for said high-pressure cyl" inder,[ L" being thecorresponding ports for the low-pressu re cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1and 1-, and j is the final exhaust port communicating with theexhaust-passage? as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

A valve rod F is connected to the valve F, and passes through astufling-box in the head of the valve-chamber, as shown in Fig.1, forconnection to any suitable valve-gear. Vhen the valve is moved in thedirection of the ar row 1, Fig. 1, so as to uncover the port h, the porth is in communication with the groove 1), the port L. with the grooveand. the port i with the groove 1) of the valve; hence steam passes fromthe supply-port (Z through the port 71. to the rear end of thehigh-pressure cylind er, while steam is exhausted from the front end ofthe said cylinder through the port h, through the groove 1), port a,passage f, port a, and groove 7) of the valve, and through the port 1'to the rear end of the low'pressure cylindcr D, the steam exhaustingfrom the front end of the low-pressure cylinder through the port i,groove and port j to the exhaust-pas sage y.

\Vhen the valve is moved in the direction of the arrow 2, highpressuresteam from. the supply-port d passes through the port 7L to the frontend of the high pressure cylinder, steam passing from the rear end ofthe same through the port 7L, valve, and port t to the front end of thelowpressure cylinder, and steam escaping from the latter through theport 1, groove 0, and portj to the exhaust. By the above-described meansI am enabled with a single valve to control. the admission of steam intothe high and low pressure cylinders, and by making the valve hollow orwith a passage through it I am enabled to restrict the size of the valveand chest and provide comparatively straight and short passages for thesteam.

I claim as my inventiou-- 1. The combination, in a valve structure forcompound engines, of the valve-chest having supply-ports, high pressureinduction and ednction ports, low-pressure induction and eduction ports,and final exhaust-port, with a hollow valve having an internal passagepro viding communication between the highpressure ports and the oppositelow-pressure internal passage connecting opposite high and low pressureports, and a passage connecting the latter ports and the exhaust-port,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL M. VAUOLAIN. \Vitnesses:

WM. RHODES, FRANK H. MASSEY.

